Pilot ACE

This “pilot” machine, simpler than Turing’s full ACE (Automatic Computing Engine) design, was completed at NPL in 1950. Although built as a test machine, it remained in useful operation for five years.

Pilot ACE

After his wartime triumphs in code-breaking, Alan Turing joined Britain’s National Physical Laboratory in 1945 to develop electronic computers.

Turing created seven designs. Six remained, as intended, just experimental concepts. Design #5 was built in 1950 as Pilot ACE (Automatic Computing Engine), a precursor to the later full-scale ACE.

The engineering firm English Electric built a commercial version of the Pilot ACE, called DEUCE—the Digital Electronic Universal Computing Engine. It was used mostly for science and engineering problems, and a few commercial applications. Over 30 were completed.